The Sicilian Inheritance - A Novel, by Jo Piazza

The Sicilian Inheritance - A Novel, by Jo Piazza

A dying wish and a bombshell revelation kick off the action in The Sicilian Inheritance – A Novel, by Jo Piazza.

Sara Marsala is miserable. Her restaurant has gone under; she’s been forced to file for bankruptcy; her husband is divorcing her; and Sara has no idea how she’ll provide for their four-year-old daughter. To make matters worse, Sara’s great aunt Rosie – a woman who helped raise Sara - has just died. At the funeral, Sara is given a letter from Rosie – written before she passed – with Rosie’s last wish: would Sara take her ashes back to the small town in Sicily where Rosie was born? The letter also contains a deed to a plot of land that Rosie believes belonged to their family, before they moved to America a century ago. If Sara can sell it, the money would be enough to pay off her debts and start again. And while she’s in Sicily, would Sara do one more thing for Rosie? Rosie’s mother never made it to America, when her brothers and her father emigrated from Sicily. Supposedly, Serafina died of the flu, but Rosie has always suspected her mother was murdered. Would Sara investigate? Find out what really happened to Serafina?

What a hook! I won’t spoil the plot for you, except to say that Piazza weaves a great murder mystery, one that involves a twist I sure didn’t see coming.

The Sicilian Inheritance – A Novel is told from two points of view: Sara’s and her great-grandmother Serafina’s. It’s also a love story (two love stories, actually); a story about friendship; a story about the bravery of women (now and a hundred years ago) who dare to defy the patriarchal, clan-based mafia; and a travelogue of beautiful Sicily to boot.

I’m a little late getting on the bandwagon for Jo Piazza’s wonderful novel. The Sicilian Inheritance came out in 2024. But if you haven’t read it yet and you’re looking for your next summer read, here it is. Strong, engaging characters; a propulsive plot; and beautifully imagined and written: you won’t be disappointed!